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Halloween costumes are classified as toys under British regulations, which means they are subject to more stringent testing than other items of clothing.

Which? also tested the outfits against a more robust code of practice by the British Retail Consortium, a voluntary guideline for retailers and manufacturers.

Three costumes failed to meet these requirements - part of the skirt of both a skull witch outfit from B&M and a witch outfit on eBay, and the seam of a Ghostbusters outfit by Rubie's, stocked on Amazon.

These outfits passed the legal requirements but were reportedly found to be more likely to catch fire and burn at a quicker rate than the outfits that passed both tests.

Ebay, Amazon and B&M have reportedly removed the items that failed the legal fire safety requirements from sale.

An Amazon spokesman said: "Customer safety is our highest priority. Third-party sellers are required to comply with all relevant laws and regulations when listing items for sale on Amazon.

"When sellers don't comply with our terms, we work quickly to take action on behalf of customers."

Which says the homemade bed sheet ghost costume burned easily, while the one from Wilko stood up well in fire safety tests (Image: Which?/PA)

Jeremy James, of Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, warned the public to buy fancy dress from "reputable retailers" and to use battery-powered LED lights instead of candles.

"If you do still find yourself in a situation where yours or a child's clothes are caught on fire, remember to stop, drop and roll until the fire is out, then cool, call and cover," he added.

"Cool the burn with running cold tap water for 20 minutes and remove all clothing and jewellery from the area (unless it is melted or firmly stuck to the wound), call for help, and cover the burn with cling film or a sterile, non-fluffy dressing or cloth."